1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to building panels formed of thin-walled, molded hardboard and adapted to be used for interior and exterior roof and wall surfaces on a wide variety of building structures.
In accordance with the present invention it has been found that hardboard formed of composite wood fibrous material can be molded in both wet and dry processes into relatively intricate shapes and profiles to provide roofing and siding products that closely resemble real wood and lumber yet requiring much lower quantities of wood materials for manufacture and consequently having a lower weight per foot of surface area coverage than real wood counterparts.
Moreover, in accordance with the present invention it has been found that relatively intricate and complex shapes and profiles can be molded in thin walled hardboard material to provide increased strength and resistance to wind uplift forces, drying out and curl up at corners of the panels, even though the panels weigh substantially less than real wood components and considerably less than substantially thicker, pressed fiber panels heretofore used, which panels often required much greater thicknesses in order to provide suitable stiffness and structural characteristics.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various hardboard panels, panel siding and lap siding products of hardboard have been utilized for surfacing the exterior walls and roofs of buildings. In addition, lap siding and roofing products formed of aluminum and vinyl have been utilized and many of these products have attempted to replicate or simulate the appearance of historical or traditional siding and roofing materials made of wood.
A number of U.S. patents have been issued on roofing, panel siding, panels and lap siding products and are listed below as follows:
______________________________________ Fink et al RE. 24,246 Turek 3,897,667 Montross 373,373 Gadsby 3,899,855 Ochs 2,264,546 Carothers 3,943,677 Brady 3,333,384 Allen et al 4,366,197 Kneisel 3,326,493 Eaton 4,015,392 Johnson 3,643,394 Geimer et al 4,061,813 Mattes 3,703,795 Kirkhuff 4,065,899 Wilson et al 3,720,031 Golder et al 4,102,106 Hanlon et al 3,796,586 Tellman 4,188,762 Wilson et al 3,848,383 Tellman 4,261,152 Eaton et al 3,848,384 Tellman 4,266,382 Kirkhuff 3,852,934 Gleason et al 4,279,106 Wheeler 3,868,300 Hanlon et al 4,366,197 ______________________________________